Heart Failure, Misdiagnosed.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and it can present in ways that aren't easily recognized. Jenny Milne — heart failure survivor and community engagement manager at the HeartLife Foundation — was 23 when her heart failure was initially attributed to a gallbladder problem. She shares what the experience taught her, and the support and advocacy work she's done since.
A diagnosis that took four months
At 23, Jenny's symptoms — abdominal fluid, elevated white blood cell count, shortness of breath, eventually severe leg edema — were initially attributed to a non-functioning gallbladder and worsening asthma. What she actually had was end-stage heart failure. The misdiagnosis lasted four months. Her story is one example of how heart failure in younger women can be easy to mistake for something else, and how quickly the right diagnosis can change the trajectory.
Why heart disease in women is under-recognized
Cardiovascular research has historically been conducted largely on men, and heart disease is still often associated with older men in the public imagination. As a result, the way it can present in women — and especially in younger women — is less widely recognized. Symptoms can resemble anxiety, panic, or unrelated conditions. The gap isn't anyone's individual failing; it's a structural one, and closing it is what HeartLife and many of its allied organizations are working toward.
What self-advocacy can look like
Jenny talks openly about the role of self-advocacy in getting the right care — speaking up about new symptoms, asking for second opinions, and keeping your own records. In many healthcare systems, patient files don't move cleanly between hospitals or health authorities, so being able to carry your own history matters. Self-advocacy isn't a substitute for good medical care; it's a way to work alongside it, especially when the picture is complicated.
The HeartLife Foundation and its women's division
Heart failure can be isolating, particularly at a younger age — so peer support matters. The HeartLife Foundation, founded in 2016 by Marc Bains and Dr. Jillian Coady, began as a peer-to-peer support community and is now a national charity covering all cardiovascular conditions. Its women's division, led by Jackie Ratté, focuses on women-specific resources, including the connection between cardiovascular health and reproductive health — perimenopause, menopause, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia. Resources are free, peer-reviewed, and built for patients by patients.
About Jenny Milne
Jenny Milne is a heart failure survivor and the engagement manager at the HeartLife Foundation, a Canadian charity supporting people living with heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions. She advocates for early diagnosis, equitable care, and broader recognition of how heart disease can present in women. You can find her work and the HeartLife Foundation at https://heartlife.com/
This episode includes honest discussion of serious illness, mortality, and the loss of community members to heart failure. If you or someone you love is living with heart failure or another cardiovascular condition, the HeartLife Foundation offers free peer support and resources, and it can help to speak with a qualified medical professional or someone you trust.
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